


Find Your Way Home

by ToTheStarsWriting



Series: The Dragon Wars [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Dragon flirting, Hurt Alec Lightwood, I love that tag, Injury Recovery, Protective Alec, Protective Jace, Protective Kyra, Stubborn Alec Lightwood, everyone is, it's a thing, shrugs, smart Alec
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:42:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24831034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToTheStarsWriting/pseuds/ToTheStarsWriting
Summary: When Alec wakes up, all he can think of is getting out of here and getting home. Magnus has other ideas.
Series: The Dragon Wars [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1793539
Comments: 33
Kudos: 303
Collections: Tales of Malec & Dragons





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was stunned at the reception the last story got! I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it :) I hope you like this one just as much!

The very last thing Alec remembered was pain. Pain _everywhere._ Sharp, hot, stabbing and prodding at every inch of him, tearing him apart until he was _screaming_ , his throat on fire as he fought to keep from begging them to stop. To keep from saying anything at all. He’d embraced unconsciousness when it came.

When he woke, the pain was still there, but it was nowhere near as sharp. Something had definitely dulled it in a way that had him relaxing within his first few breaths. More than that, however, more than anything else, he felt the warmth of his bond with Kyra. It was strong and bright inside of him. A glowing star that lit up everything inside him and chased away his own darkness.

 ** _Alec_**. Joy rang through their bond. It seeped into the cold, dark places inside of him and pushed them back, chasing the shadows from his mind until Alec felt like he could breathe a little easier. **_You’re safe now. Jace I found you, and we got you out. You’re SAFE._**

Alec leaned into their bond and let it reach up and wrap around him. Through it, he was able to see her memories of what had happened while he’d been unconscious. It was like everything played on fast forward. Kyra thought back over it all and gave Alec the highlight reel of everything, just as he knew she was getting a highlight reel of his own time.

When they were done, Alec relaxed a little more. They were safe. Not only had Kyra gotten him out of... of _there_ , but she and Jace had gotten them to the Sanctuary, a place they could momentarily be safe.

Thinking of Jace had Alec tensing again. He turned his focus in toward the bond. _How are they treating him?_ he asked.

Alec knew what people thought of Jace. What they saw when they looked at him. The last thing Alec was going to do was make his brother stay at a place where people hated him or would try and hurt him. Jace had already lived like that for long enough. Alec would be dammed if he let him ever live like that again.

 ** _He’s fine,_** Kyra reassured him immediately. **_The Alpha here has been treating him well. He sent someone over to feed us – a chatty little thing who talked Jace’s ear off the whole time he ate._**

Kyra’s amusement at that was easy to feel. In her words, Alec picked up an image of what she was talking about. Jace, sitting at the foot of Alec’s bed with a plate on his lap, devouring the sandwich there while some small, skinny guy with a big bright smile waved his hands and talked. Judging by the look on Jace’s face, he had absolutely no idea how to handle this little ball of happiness that was talking to him.

 _Where is he now_? Alec asked.

**_The scowling-one went to show him the bathroom. Or to stand guard over him, I’m not sure. Both, likely._ **

The fact that she’d let them go off somewhere out of her sight to do that made it clear how comfortable she felt here. Alec sighed in relief at that. If Kyra was comfortable with these people, Alec would be comfortable with them. A little, at least.

However, now that Alec had taken a few minutes to catch up on the important things, it was time to actually wake up and start looking around himself. He needed to assess his injuries and check on Kyra, who he’d noticed in the recap hadn’t had anyone but Jace tend to her. Not that that was surprising. Kyra and Alec both hated having someone else tend their wounds. They usually preferred to take care of each other in private, with either Jace or Isabelle to help if absolutely necessary.

 ** _You shouldn’t be getting up yet_** , Kyra scolded him.

Alec opened his eyes to find that she was right there alongside his bed. Her head was close enough for him to touch by barely even lifting his hand. Feeling the smoothness of her scales under his palm was a beautiful thing. For a while, Alec had been afraid he wasn’t going to ever feel that again.

Pushing against her face, Alec slid his hand up over the front of her snout and then traced his fingers up the hard ridge that ran the length of her head. It went up between her eyes and over the top of her head, ending in a small horn-like protrustion at the back of her head.

Laying like this, Alec couldn’t reach all the way up, but it felt so good to touch her, and she let out the same soft trill she always did.

After a few moments of just reconnecting with each other, reassuring the other that they were there and alive, they both knew it was time to start moving on. Kyra turned her head a little so that Alec’s hand slid off over the ridge and down to the faint frill at the side of her jaw. There, he was able to curl his hand against the hard edge of it. Alec drew in a deep, steadying breath, and then nodded. He was ready.

In one slow, smooth move, Kyra drew her head down toward Alec’s feet, one eye on him the entire time. It worked perfectly to draw Alec up from the half-laying position he’d been in. Not only could be brace on that part of her frill, but he was also able to hold on there long enough for her to turn her head a little once he was up and offer her snout as back support.

This wasn’t the first time that either of them had been hurt before. Nor was it the first time one or the other had gotten up afterward and left without permission from anyone else. Very rarely did either one even let anyone know that they were hurt at all.

Kyra gave a low rumble as she braced Alec enough for him to get off the bed and on his feet. There was no one around to see the way he stumbled or how his entire body seemed to clench up at the wave of pain that washed over him. The only person to witness it was Kyra, and she was the only one that Alec didn’t care about letting see. They’d been through far too much together, she and he, for Alec to ever feel self-conscious with her. She knew every inch of Alec down to the very core of him.

Which meant she knew when it was pointless to try and talk Alec out of something. Especially when it came to caring for her. He walked on shaky legs over to her side, where he could use the hidden straps to drop down the saddlebags where their medical kit sat. He didn’t worry about his own pain as he set about taking care of hers. Either one of them would risk themselves time and time again if it meant protecting or taking care of their bondmate.

They’d been taking care of one another in various ways since Alec had first saved that egg on a Hunter raid. He’d known from the very minute he’d walked into that town that there was something there, something calling to him. When he’d found the egg, it was like everything in Alec's world had suddenly clicked into place. As if a piece of himself had been missing, and he hadn’t known it until it was returned.

Their bond was so strong it’d formed before Kyra was even out of her egg. Alec remembered the early days of trying to hide her egg while keeping it with him, the two unable to bear being separated. Their bond hadn’t been anything like it was now. Back then, it’d mostly been feelings, sensations, no real words. Kyra described it like she was sleeping in that egg, dreaming of him, only to finally wake and begin to push against her shell.

The day she broke her shell still remained one of the greatest days of Alec's life. His bond, which had felt like so much, grew in a way he hadn’t known it could. It made him realize how faint of a bond they’d carried. What came once she was awake and _there_ was so much better.

That was the day that Alec had run away.

There was no way in hell he was going to keep his newborn dragon anywhere around the Hunters he’d grown up with. Alec had packed his bags, left a private note for Isabelle, gathered up Kyra, and ran. And he’d never looked back. Nor had he regretted it.

 ** _Not even after all this?_** Kyra asked quietly, nuzzling up against him. Alec was mostly done already with cleaning up the few areas she’d been hurt. It was slow, his body too tender to do anything quickly, but he’d gotten her taken care of, and that was what was important.

Alec pressed his face against hers and let himself rest on the cool, firm scales there. _Never. I could never regret you._

The two stayed close to one another for quite a while. Wrapped up in each other, it felt amazing. Recent events had kept them apart for far too long – longer than they’d been separated since he’d first found her. Alec hadn’t known how much it would hurt to be kept apart from Kyra like that. Though whatever shields they’d used had kept his presence hidden, or at least muffled, it hadn’t dulled their bond entirely. Alec knew that she’d picked up on his pain, just as he’d picked up on hers. While they hadn’t been able to speak, they’d been able to share feelings, impressions, almost like she was back in her egg all over again.

Their quiet moment was broken when Kyra caught a familiar scent coming their way. Alec looked up to watch as Jace appeared around the corner of the building. His bathroom break had clearly turned into something else; Alec had been expecting him to show up for quite a while now. He’d stayed away long enough for Alec to not only wake up but for him to get Kyra patched up and to get at least partially dressed. Well, he had pants on, that was it, and that was mostly because he’d laid back against Kyra and just sort of shimmied them up.

Jace was walking with two people Alec didn’t know. One of them he recognized from Kyra’s recap on things – it was the guy that had brought Jace some food. And the other one had to be the scowling-one she’d mentioned who had escorted Jace toward the bathroom. Alec raised an eyebrow at them and wondered what it was they’d been doing that had taken so long.

Then Jace caught sight of them, and everything else fell away as his eyes went wide and he started cursing. In an instant, he was racing toward them. He didn’t hesitate to dart around the wing that Kyra had started to curl up to protect Alec from anyone else’s sight. Jace just ran right up to where Alec was sitting on Kyra’s leg, resting himself before he tried to get dressed again.

“Of course you got out of bed while I was gone,” Jace said dryly. He walked right up to them, dropping down to take a seat right beside Alec, close without actually touching him. He lifted a hand in silent question, waiting for Alec's nod of permission before he reached out and took the bag and shirt that Alec was holding. Pulling them over to his own lap, Jace rolled his eyes. “Do you seriously have to be this stubborn? You couldn’t have held out for like, another hour. I would’ve won!”

Alec snorted and almost instantly regretted it. He pressed one hand up against his ribs, where the aching was the worst. “You guys bet on how long I’d stay in bed?”

“What can we say?” Kyra practically purred the words at him. “You’re predictable.”

At the last minute, Alec decided not to risk rolling his eyes. His head was already throbbing. Instead, he settled for scoffing at her, even if it did make his throat throb. “As if you’re any better.”

This time Kyra definitely purred at him. “It’s why we’re such a perfect match.”

Alec looked up, sneaking a glance over Jace’s shoulder to where the other two had stopped a little distance away. Neither one of them was being shy about the way they were staring. It was just a little unnerving.

Kyra must’ve felt the same way because she drew her wing forward and used it as a curtain to block them off. It mostly blocked out the sunshine, too, except for little bits around Kyra’s neck that got in. Otherwise, it was a nice, cool darkness, one that had Alec relaxing a little. The place that had held him had kept him in the brightest light possible. They’d bragged about it, claiming that they’d never be able to find him without shadows to use.

The memory had Alec's muscles tensing. He swore he could feel the metal around his wrists again, the sharp sting of the knife on his chest.

A familiar coolness washed over Alec from the inside out. He felt it seep into him like smoke, pushing back the memories once more, shrouding them so that Alec could think again.

When Alec blinked open his eyes, not even having realized that he’d closed them, he found Jace still sitting there watching him with a look on his face that said he knew where Alec's thoughts had gone. Or, at least, the direction they’d gone in. He said nothing about it, though, and Alec loved him all the more for it.

“Why don’t we finish getting you dressed?” Jace suggested instead. He held up the shirt that Alec had been holding before. “There are a few people out there who probably want to say hi. And while normally I’d totally advise you to keep the shirt off, show some skin, maybe, right now you’re kind of more bandage than person. Which, trust me here, buddy, if they’re interested in you and your bandages like that, you turn around and run far, far away.”

“I’m terrified to ask how you know that,” Kyra said dryly.

Alec wrinkled his nose. “I’m positive I don’t want to know.”

A grin stretched over Jace’s face. It made him look five years younger. “Listen, you two. Not everyone’s as much of a stuck-up-prude as you guys are. Quit trying to slut-shame the rest of us out here who know what it means to have a good time.”

“If we’re not allowed to slut-shame you, you’re not allowed to virgin-shame us,” Kyra shot back. She ducked her head a little and bared her teeth at Jace in a way that would’ve had anyone else wetting their pants. Or running away. Possibly both – Alec had seen it happen before.

Jace? Jace grinned up at her. “Fair enough.”

When Jace stood up, setting the bag aside and gathering the shirt better in his hands, Alec took a deep breath. “So who were those guys you were wandering with?” Alec asked. He tried to focus on that instead of on the way that Jace was helping to pull the shirt over his head. He knew what was coming. Getting dressed with assistance was preferable to getting dressed alone when injured, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t going to hurt. Alec had to grab on to anything he could to make sure he stayed steady. Even if it was picking on his brother. “Kyra said you were just going to the bathroom, but that was an awfully long bathroom trip.”

“You haven’t eaten anything that tastes funny, have you?” Kyra asked teasingly.

Rolling his eyes, Jace carefully gathered up Alec's left arm and helped to steer it toward the sleeve with as little movement as possible. “You two are _hilarious_. Raphael showed me where the bathroom was, but when I got out, he had his boyfriend with him, and they gave me a quick tour. Simon insisted I do it before I came and sat back down again. I wasn’t aware that _someone_ was going to be a dumbass and get up while I was gone.”

Alec was too tense to respond; he was pressing his lips together to keep any and all sound locked behind his teeth. Thankfully, Kyra answered for them both, keeping the distraction going that she knew her Rider so desperately needed. “That sounds like your fault, not ours.” Then her voice dropped a little into the low, silky teasing that sounded more than a little threatening. “I’m sure it had nothing to do with the way you’re practically drooling over them, right?”

“Like you’re any better!” Jace fired back, just a hint defensive in that way of his that told Alec how spot on Kyra’s words were. “I saw the way you looked at Magnus’ dragon. Puffing your wings up like a little peacock, hoping they’d look at you.”

The noise that Kyra made was indignant, but Alec felt her embarrassment easily in the bond. Her voice went lower, even more dangerous than before. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

All of this was very much something Alec was going to tease them all about. Later. When he was finally dressed, preferably.

The two continued to bicker back and forth as Jace helped Alec get his shirt the rest of the way on. He even squatted down to get Alec's socks and shoes on for him despite the protests Alec tried to give.

It said a lot about the relationship between Kyra and Jace when Jace finally finished dressing Alec, and then he took a moment to lay his hand on Kyra’s leg and look up at her to ask, “You all taken care of too?”

The way Kyra softened wasn’t something just anyone would get to see. Sheltered still behind her wing, she gentled into the sweet girl Alec knew she was, and she bent her head to snuffle at Jace’s hair. “Right as rain, sunshine.”

As always, the nickname made Jace roll his eyes. But he grinned up at her nonetheless. Then he turned to look back at Alec. “All right, Alec. What’s the plan?”

“We need to get home,” Alec answered immediately. He pressed his good hand against Kyra, trying to ignore it when Jace cupped his elbow to help brace him while he rose.

“You should take some time to rest first, Alec,” Jace said.

But Alec shook his head. There wasn’t time to rest. They needed to go – now. What he’d learned in his capture, what he _suspected_ , couldn’t wait. If his suspicions proved true, it was going to mean so much trouble. Not just for them but for the whole of the world, on a scale that not even Valentine had managed.

Kyra could feel his determination, and Alec knew she’d probably picked up enough of his thoughts now to know what was going on. They didn’t keep things private from one another. Especially not after their forced separation.

She slowly drew her wing back from around them, and Alec straightened himself up, refusing to lean on Jace or Kyra that heavily when faced with others. Only, when Kyra drew back her wing it showed that more people had joined the other two while they’d been tucked away. There was a dark-skinned woman standing there with her arms crossed over her chest and a stern look on her face. Judging by the way her eyes shot right to him, as well as the calculating look in them, Alec was betting this was the doctor.

But it was the man at her side that truly held Alec’s attention.

 _Magnus Bane_.

Seeing him in Kyra’s memories hadn’t done the man justice. He was tall – easily close to Alec in height, though not quite as tall as him. Dark hair was spiked up on top and streaked with blue that matched his shirt, while the sides of his head were shaved. With the tight pants he wore with it all, boots, and the copious amounts of rings and necklaces, he looked like he’d be perfectly at home in one of those clubs that Isabelle loved so much. Yet, he still managed to project an air of strength and command even as he stood in the grass outside a field hospital.

Magnus’ eyes were on Alec, and they gave him a quick sweep that had Alec wanting to shiver a little.

 ** _He’s hot_** , Kyra teased slyly.

Alec flushed, tapping his hand against her chest in a touch he knew she’d barely feel but would understand. _Knock it off_.

**_What? Come on, Alec, look at him! He’s just your type. You can deny it to yourself, but you can’t deny it to me, my bondmate._ **

There was no point in arguing with her. Especially when, well, she wasn’t wrong. Magnus _was_ hot. Far prettier than a lot of men Alec had seen.

It didn’t help when Magnus’ lips quirked up, and he once more let his gaze run over Alec, slower this time. “Well, I guess they were right making bets. You are a stubborn one, aren’t you, pretty boy?”

Alec had to fight to keep from blushing even more while Kyra cackled happily in their shared mind space. Though it didn’t help when Jace started snickering. Him, at least, Alec was free to elbow. The grunt he got was rather satisfying.

All attractiveness aside – knowing that they were in a Sanctuary and coming face to face with the one who’d made it possible left Alec a bit more tongue-tied than normal. It didn’t help that Alec had heard talk about Magnus before. Every Pair out there encountered stories at some point of the sanctuaries where any dragon could go to be safe.

However, more than that, Alec had heard tales of the man on the battlefield. He’d heard of the things Magnus had done to help protect their kind. The ones he’d killed, the ones he’d saved. Some of the people in Alec's group had met him in the past. They’d fought with him, or been on a battlefield and seen what he could do.

Only once had Alec witnessed Magnus and his dragon fight. Even then, it’d been from a distance. But Alec had remembered how he and his dragon had looked up in the sky. The dark of their scales, the glowing embers of their fire, and the devastating flames that had swept across the battlefield. All matched by the flames that curled around Magnus’ hands. Both were shot with deadly accuracy.

People were almost as scared of them as they were of Alec and Kyra. They were called demons, hell-beasts. The _Prince of Hell_ and the _Hell-Dragon_. They were a blaze of fire across the whole war, while Alec and Kyra stuck to the shadows, slipping in and killing quietly.

Until firing the arrow that had killed Valentine, the world had only vaguely known of Alec and what he’d done. There were rumors – stories. Tales told of what they’d done that were almost always either exaggerated or didn’t come anywhere close to the truth. Whereas Magnus and his dragon had brought their battle to the light, defending the world and forcing them to see Valentine for the monstrosity he was, Alec and Kyra had fought in the dark, doing the dirty work no one else wanted to acknowledge.

Alec gave his head a shake to push those thoughts away. They weren’t what was important right now. His reputation wasn’t important. They wouldn’t be staying long enough for it to become a big deal.

Drawing in a breath, Alec forced himself to let go of Jace and to step away from the comforting safety of Kyra’s shadow. He walked toward Magnus on legs that he hoped looked steadier than he felt. Alec stopped a few feet away from them. Past experience told him that offering his hand to shake wasn’t going to get him anywhere. Often, it made people twitch back like he might suddenly materialize a weapon in his hand. Instead, Alec tucked his hands behind his back as best as he could and curled his good hand gently around the bandage of his opposite risk.

“I’m glad I was able to catch you before we leave,” Alec said, nodding his head toward Magnus. “I wanted to take a chance to thank you for your help last night while I was indisposed. My family didn’t know where else to go, and your Sanctuary was the closest place they could think of.” He turned to look at the doctor next, giving her a respectful nod as well. “You didn’t have to help us or treat me, but you did, and I thank you for it, ma’am.”

The woman glared right back at him without an ounce of fear on her face. It was actually kind of impressive. “You shouldn’t even be out of bed yet, and you definitely shouldn’t be flying anywhere. I doubt you’d even be able to stay in the saddle ten minutes!”

Alec didn’t bother telling her she was right. Though he thought she might be overestimating it. He wasn’t sure he’d make it up through takeoff right now. Still… “That’s what straps are for, ma’am.”

The noise the woman made at that was somewhere between pained and pissed off.

Before she could open her mouth and say any of the things Alec could so clearly see that she wanted to, Magnus stepped forward just a half step and broke into their conversation, cutting her off. “I think that what Catarina means is that, while you might survive something like that, there’s no reason you _should_. You’re more than welcome to stay here for the duration of your recovery.”

 ** _Maybe she’s right, Alec_** , Kyra suggested hesitantly. **_I haven’t seen you injured this badly in a long time. Your body needs to rest._**

 _I’ll be fine. You know…you saw. This, it’s too important to wait_.

All the things that Alec didn’t want to think about, the things he’d learned and the ways he’d learned it, they slipped down into the bond before he could stop them. Kyra might’ve gotten impressions before, but seeing it like that in bright technicolor had her sucking in a sharp breath. Then a low growl built in her throat.

The two men stepped back at that, the scowling-one moving in front of the other, and even the doctor – Catarina – leaned back a little. Only Magnus stayed where he was. He didn’t flinch from Kyra’s growling. Nor did he walk away. He stayed right where he was, looking up at Alec with a steady, firm gaze, waiting.

Alec looked down at the other man and found himself honestly a bit regretful for the words he knew he had to say. “I can’t. I have important information that can’t wait.”

Something in Magnus’ eyes sharpened. His eyes narrowed a little, and was it Alec's imagination, or were his pupils slightest bit thinner than they should’ve been? For a brief moment, it was like he had the eyes of a dragon. Then he blinked, and they were back to normal.

“We have a few different dragons here with the ability to send fire messages if your base isn’t warded against them,” Magnus said suddenly, surprising Alec. His tone was just as easy as before, yet the way he watched Alec showed a shrewd mind inside. One that was very, very suspicious right now, though it didn’t stop him from being polite. “Why don’t we go over to the gazebo right over there, and we can discuss it? I get the feeling there’s a lot you and I need to talk about.”

 ** _It sounds like a good idea,_** Kyra offered. She sounded serious, and Alec knew she was watching Magnus just as carefully as he was. **_I trust him._**

Alec let out a heavy mental sigh. _I don’t know why, but I do, too._

It was stupid. So completely, utterly stupid to trust anyone, let alone someone he’d just met, especially with something as important as getting this message out. But with everything Magnus had done for dragonkind, Alec couldn’t see him lying about helping with this, not once he knew what it was.

This wasn’t just about them. It wasn’t about what Alec went through, or what he might face again if he went out there without being back at the top of his game. This was about people and beings Alec had sworn to protect.

Drawing in a breath, Alec nodded. “Lead the way.”

* * *

Getting to the gazebo took a whole lot more effort than Alec wanted to admit to. Especially since he didn’t have Jace to lean on. His brother was staying with the other two – Raphael and Simon, they’d been introduced as – so that Magnus and Alec could talk in private, by his own choice. That meant Alec had to walk over with only a hand on Kyra’s leg to support him.

They got about halfway there when Magnus snuck a look over at him. “While I get the feeling you’re going to be one of those people who insist on showing no weakness, I can’t keep holding back. Will you let me help you the rest of the way over there?”

Just the thought of someone he didn’t know touching him was enough to have Alec stumbling. He couldn’t help how he lurched against Kyra. It wasn’t like he thought Magnus was going to just reach out and grab him! But Alec had always been hesitant on being touched by people, a byproduct of the life he’d lived, and recent events had only made that worse. Only two people got away with touching him regularly, and even they checked with him before they did. It was well known amongst Alec's Shadowhunters that no one touched their Alpha unless they wanted to risk losing a limb.

Magnus was watching him with soft, sad eyes. There wasn’t pity in them – thank the angel, because Alec wasn’t sure he could’ve handled pity. But there _was_ a look there that Alec thought might be _empathy_. As if Magnus had experienced what Alec was feeling right now.

“All right,” Magnus said gently. He kept his hands in his pockets, out of sight, and waited for Alec to steady himself again.

When they rounded the corner of the building, the gazebo that Magnus had mentioned was just ahead of them. And so was Magnus’ dragon.

They looked stunningly beautiful, waiting there. The early morning light made their scales seem a warm, deep red, with just a faint glow here and there like embers waiting to be stoked back to life with a deep breath. The dragon was smaller than Kyra, yet so very clearly stronger, at least in brute strength. Alec would bet on Kyra for speed and skill any day of the week.

Alec felt Kyra’s pleasure at seeing them. **_Her,_** she corrected Alec. **_They’re a her. And she’s gorgeous._**

_Maybe you can get to know her a little while Magnus and I talk._

Both Alec and Kyra had bold personalities. Or, as Jace liked to say, they were both assholes. More often than not, they didn’t like dealing with people any more than they had to, though they could do it if necessary. But put them in any kind of social situation, and they were _disasters_. A fact which Kyra proved when her mind-voice turned almost entirely to splutters and embarrassed sounds.

The light teasing helped Alec relax again. Enough that he didn’t feel as tense anymore walking alongside Magnus.

Nevertheless, by the time they reached the gazebo, any sort of teasing mood was long gone. Alec barely had the strength to stop outside it and give the proper greeting to the curious dragon watching them. He had to hold on to Kyra, and his bow wasn’t anywhere near as deep as it should’ve been. Especially considering he was pretty sure these two were the Alphas of this Sanctuary. But it was the best Alec could manage without hitting the ground. If that happened, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to get back up.

“Hello and good morning, my lady. We are Alec and Kyra, and it’s an honor to meet you,” Alec said politely.

Eyes like flames looked them over with what Alec thought might be amusement and just a touch of something else he wasn’t sure of. “You’re a polite one, aren’t you?” she asked him, her voice deep, crackling just a little at the edges. “We don’t stand on formality as much around here, little Rider. Call me Rhea, please.”

“Rhea’s right,” Magnus chimed in, bringing Alec's gaze back down. The man was in the gazebo on the side closest to his dragon. He smiled at Alec. “We really don’t stand on formality too much here. Come have a seat. It’s making me hurt just watching you, darling.”

Alec didn’t even bother protesting the statement. He was far too grateful to be able to sit down to care about how that might look to anyone else. His whole body ached like one giant bruise. Alec carefully took the last few steps to bring him up into the gazebo and then over to the table and chairs. Only, they got two steps into the gazebo, and Alec felt something wash over him, something that had his body going still and his eyes narrowing down on the man just ahead of him.

His distress had Kyra shoving her head forward, a growl already on her lips, and Alec took a single step back toward her. He was abruptly reminded that he had no weapons on him. Whatever had happened to his bow and arrows, they were gone, as were his blades. He was defenseless in this place where wards had washed over him like stepping through a sheet of water.

Magnus turned around the minute Kyra started growling. His eyebrows went up and then narrowed down over his eyes in clear confusion. “Lightwood?”

Alec stumbled back another step, relaxing only when he felt Kyra pressing against his back. “What the hell are you playing at here?” Alec demanded. He tried to sound hard, to freeze his voice so no one would be able to hear the pain that sat underneath. The ache that was so much worse than any of his injuries. Alec's heart was pounding, and he knew the other dragon was likely able to hear that. He just couldn’t bring himself to care. No one was going to trap him again!

A low rumble from off to the right had Alec's gaze snapping that way. He found Rhea had laid herself down, her head lower than Kyra’s for the moment, and her eyes were kind as they landed on Alec. In them, the flames were a bit muted, a warm glow to warm themselves against. “No one’s going to hold you here against your will. Either of you.” Her eyes drifted up to Kyra’s and then back down to Alec. “You’re safe here, _allim._ We won’t let anyone hurt you two inside our walls.”

Magnus let out a soft “Oh” as he realized what was going on. Then he was practically tripping over himself to add his reassurances to Rhea’s. “She’s right, darling. No one’s going to keep you here or separate you two if you don’t want that. The wards on the gazebo are just so we can have a private conversation outdoors without everyone with excellent hearing being able to pick up on it.”

“And me?” Kyra asked, her breath fanning against the back of Alec. “Will you keep your words secret from me, too, _Alpha_?” There was a faint hint of a sneer on that last word where moments ago there would’ve been respect. Kyra wasn’t all too keen to separate from Alec, either, especially with any kind of warding between them. The last time that had happened, it’d taken her far too long to get him home, and she wasn’t going to let that happen again.

Magnus quickly shook his head. “Of course not. The wards work around your bond, not push through it. We set them up to recognize your connection. No one here would ever seek to separate a Pair from one another. Not even through silencing wards.”

There was nothing but sincerity in Magnus’ tone. **_I think he means it_**.

 _I think so, too,_ Alec answered slowly. The panic that had grabbed hold of him when he’d felt the wards was slowly starting to fade away. It left room for embarrassment to take its place. Alec gathered his courage and wrapped it around himself like a cloak, trying to hide behind it. “I’m sorry…”

“No,” Magnus cut in quickly. He waved a hand between them as if to dismiss their very words. Then he drew his hands back, and the look in his eyes was suddenly far older than his years. Alec found the rumors of Magnus’ age so much more believable as he stared into those eyes and saw the kind of knowledge that could only come from age and experience. “If anyone should apologize, it should be me. I may not know what happened to you, but I knew enough that I should’ve guessed being separated like this might be upsetting. _I’m_ sorry, Alexander.”

Alec swallowed down the lump that had built in his throat. “It’s fine.”

It wasn’t, it totally wasn’t, and Alec hated just how much he’d let them see in that one little moment of panic, but maybe if he pretended it was okay for long enough, he might finally start to feel it.

Thankfully, they didn’t say anything more on it, though it didn’t escape Alec's notice how Magnus dragged his chair a little so that it was more toward the back of the gazebo. Or how Rhea went to lay near him instead of off to the side where she had been. It left Alec with his back toward the entrance of the gazebo, while Kyra was free to sit there and guard it for him.

Sitting down in the chair at least helped ease some of Alec's aches. Though parts of him still throbbed from having been moved or from sitting on such a hard chair. Those, he did his best to ignore, choosing instead to focus on the relief in other parts of him. He’d really done a number on himself this time. Thankfully, neither of his legs was broken, which was a beautiful godsend. Just some ribs, his left arm, and a few fingers. He wouldn’t be drawing a bow anytime soon. But he’d heal up okay. The bruises and cuts would heal even easier.

**_You were worse before Catarina got a hold of you. I think she and her white are more than just doctors – I think they’re healers. Some of your injuries are gone. Even with the way we heal, that’s still pretty damn fast._ **

So, Alec definitely owed her a thank you before he left. He made a mental note of that. Then he focused back on Magnus, who was patiently waiting for Alec to get settled, or perhaps giving him a moment to let his aches ease before starting the conversation. Alec drew himself up a little higher in his seat and tried to inject some sense of confidence in his voice. Best to get this over with. “You said you have dragons here capable of sending fire messages?”

“I do,” Magnus confirmed easily.

That wasn’t one of Kyra’s skills; otherwise Alec would’ve already set about using it. But if they had dragons here who could and who were willing to do so, it meant that Alec could relax, even just a little. He could get the necessary message to Isabelle without having to waste time even just for flying over there. “If they don’t mind, I’d love to send a quick message to my sister.”

“Absolutely.” Magnus’ agreement came quickly and easily. But that didn’t mean it came without a price. He leaned toward Alec, folding his arms to rest against them on the table, and his sharp eyes were locked right on Alec's face, watching him and reading his every expression. “It must be extremely important information for you to be so determined to get it to her.”

 _We trust him,_ Alec had to remind himself. Unconsciously, he drew himself up further, slipping into the soldier’s stance he’d never been able to train himself out of. It was something that had been drilled into him from the moment he was able to stand up on his own. At the same time, his voice did the same thing, switching over to that cold, detached tone that had made so many people convinced that Lightwood had nothing but ice in his veins.

“Kyra, Jace, and I have been trying to hunt down the remaining Circle members that have gone into hiding after Valentine’s death. On a recent mission into an old base, they were prepared for us. More so than they should’ve been. They managed to capture me and separate me from Kyra.”

Faint memories dug at the back of Alec's mind. The way they’d taunted him, drawing him away from Kyra and into a room. The trapdoor in the floor that they’d sent him tumbling through. And then the long, dark tunnels, too far underground for Kyra to get to, before warding washed over him and blocked them completely.

Alec shoved those down, hard. He couldn’t afford to get lost in those memories. Not right now.

“While I was captive, they didn’t often talk in front of me except during interrogations, but they often talked _nearby_. I think they underestimated my ability to hear well without Kyra right there with me.”

A sharp, dangerous grin flashed over Magnus’ face. “Their mistake.”

Yes, it had been. Alec had gleaned so much information from their talks. Hints on where a few more hideouts were, suggestions toward upcoming plans. But it was one big piece of information that had really caught his interest. “I heard them talking about some plans they were making for the future. But… they kept talking about Valentine’s son. Over and over again, I heard them talking about Jonathan.”

Magnus’ eyes narrowed a little, and they seemed to unconsciously dart back in the direction of the others.

Seeing that, Alec shook his head. “They weren’t talking about Jace.”

The way Magnus’ eyes snapped back to Alec, how his whole body tensed, made it clear that he knew just who Alec was talking about.

The rumors of Valentine having another son weren’t widely believed. The fact that both Valentine’s sons were named Jonathan probably didn’t help with that. Everyone just assumed that those stories were all about the same kid, the same person, and Jace was credited with things he’d never done. Things he would _never_ do.

“You think the stories of Valentine’s other son are real?” Magnus asked slowly.

Alec met his gaze and held it. “I think they spoke of Jonathan doing things I know Jace didn’t and being places I know Jace wasn’t. My brother’s been with me almost full time for the past couple years, Alpha Bane.” He didn’t bother adding on that the Jace he knew would never do the things that these stories claimed. No one here knew Jace like he did. Nor did they know Alec. His word alone wouldn’t be good enough to vouch for Jace’s character.

But apparently, his word on Jace’s whereabouts was enough. He could see the calculation in Magnus’ eyes when he sat back in his seat. “So, the stories of Valentine’s evil son are real.”

“And from the sounds of it, he’s not too happy about recent events. From what I heard, he’s more than happy to pick up his Dad’s cause and run with it.”

‘Not too happy’ was probably putting it lightly. From the way the others had talked, the last thing Alec wanted was to meet Jonathan in that small little cell. Something told him he wouldn’t have come out alive by the time the man was done with him. He probably held no real love for his father’s killer.

Magnus’ thoughts had clearly gone down the same path. “He’ll be looking for you.”

“I know,” Alec said easily.

“You shouldn’t risk going up against him until you get a chance to heal. I can offer you shelter until you do, and we can send a fire message to your sister. I assume she’s the one in charge of your Shadowhunters until your return?” At Alec's nod, Magnus nodded as well. He waved his hand, and Alec was surprised to see a paper and pen appear on the table between them. Magnus smiled a little at that. “Here. If you write the message, Rhea can get it sent off. Let your sister know what’s going on, and that you’ll be staying with us until you heal.”

Alec paused in the act of reaching for the pen and paper. He looked up at Magnus. “I will?”

It wasn’t Magnus who answered him – it was Rhea. She turned her head enough that she was able to peek through the railing and roof of the gazebo. Not at _Alec_ , though. Her eyes went to Kyra. “It seems it’s our lot in life to be bonded to the most stubborn of Riders,” she said smoothly, a hint of amused exasperation at the edges of her words. “It’s good to see I’m not the only one that has to put up with stuff like that.”

Magnus rolled his eyes and shot her a glare that held so much affection to it. “You love me dearly, darling.”

“Such is my lot in life,” Rhea shot back.

As much as Alec might want to take Magnus’ kind offer, he knew it wasn’t the smart choice. The last thing these people should want was Alec's presence in their lives. Especially not right now. Alec could feel that Kyra felt the same. Neither one of them wanted to put any of the people here at risk, and staying would only do just that.

“As kind as your offer is, we can't stay,” Alec told them.

“He's right,” Kyra said, cutting them off before the others could protest. “If Alec's capture proved anything to us, it's that right now he's a pretty big target. One that they're willing to do quite a lot to get. The fact that they kept him alive the way they did only makes it worse. It means they want something from him.”

“We're not going to put you guys at risk when they try to track me down, and I won't put my people at risk if Jonathan and the Circle end up finding them in their hunt for _me_.”

They couldn't argue against that and they all knew it. Magnus and Rhea exchanged a long, speaking look, and Alec just knew they were talking in their bond. He waited patiently for what he knew had to be the only possible outcome. While he did, he took a moment to compose his letter to Isabelle.

He'd gotten most of the way through it when Magnus cleared his throat and drew Alec's attention back upward. He found the Alpha watching him with a calm, steady look, and a fierce determination sparking in his eyes. “If Jonathan really is out there, looking to revive the Circle and pick up where his dad left off, the whole of our world is in trouble. This isn't something any of us can ignore. Our Sanctuary is a safe haven meant to protect dragons and Pairs from whatever it is the world might throw their way. Be it Valentine, Jonathan, or anything else. This is somewhere they can be safe. That includes you and yours. Our wards will keep you protected and give you the time to heal without Jonathan or anyone else being able to find you.”

“And my own people?” Alec asked. “Am I just supposed to leave them out there on their own to be hunted? We have our own protections in our place, but nothing like this. They’re not perfectly hidden the way you are.” And there was no way in hell Alec was going to cower behind wards why the people he was responsible for were at risk.

“Of course you're not,” Rhea said.

Magnus nodded his agreement. “Bring them here.”

That had Alec going still. He froze with the pen hovering over the paper. “ _What_?” he and Kyra said together.

“Bring them here,” Magnus repeated calmly. “The canyon here is safe and protected in ways that you just said your own base isn't. Bring them here, and we can keep everyone safe while you heal and try to figure out your next step.”

Part of Alec wanted to protest immediately. But, at the same time, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Not when Magnus' words made so much sense. The Sanctuary was one of the most protected places in the world. It'd been around for hundreds of years, and no one had been able to find it so far. It'd kept countless dragons safe from so many different threats. If Alec brought his Shadowhunters here with him, they'd be able to stay safe while Alec healed, and it would give him time to figure out what needed to be done next.

“Not every one of my people has a dragon,” Alec said, watching Magnus carefully.

The other man nodded like he'd already known that. Then again, if he knew any stories about Alec, he likely knew stories about Isabelle, too, and it was well known that she didn't have a dragon. “So long as they're a part of your team, they're welcome here. They'll just have to follow the Sanctuary rules the same as anyone else. Catarina will make sure they're sorted out.” A faint smile ghosted over Magnus' lips. “She's technically the one in charge of this place.”

That had Alec snorting. While she might run the place, it didn't take a genius to know who the true power behind it all was.

 ** _It’s a sound plan_** , Kyra said softly. She sounded a bit hesitant, and Alec knew she was worried the same as he was about putting others at risk. Just because no one had ever found this place before didn't mean it couldn't happen. Alec didn't want to be the one responsible for that. But Magnus' words made sense. Staying here would give Alec time to heal properly, and bringing his people over would make sure that they were kept safe at the same time. How could he refuse that?

Alec knew as he looked at Magnus what his answer had to be. It was the only logical way to go. “My people will owe you a debt, Alpha Rider Bane.”

“Please, just Magnus is fine,” Magnus said, smiling at him. “And your people owe me nothing. I told you, this is a Sanctuary for everyone. That includes your people. The only thing I’ll ask is that they follow the rules the same as anyone else.”

“They will,” Alec promised.

Magnus’ smile grew a little wider. “Good! Then, why don't you finish up your letter to your sister, and we'll get it sent off. Then we can go talk to Catarina and see about setting u the logistics of things. We might have to shuffle some things around depending on your troops’ size, but we should be able to make it work.”

For the first time since he'd been rescued, there was a part of Alec that felt like he could relax. Even just a little. Though he wouldn't be able to do so fully until he had his people around him and his family safe, just having a plan was enough to help ease him a little. Alec always did better with a plan.

He quickly added on the necessary information to the letter, as well as the confirmation at the bottom that would guarantee Isabelle knew this was from him and that he wasn't being coerced into writing it.

When he was done, Magnus took the letter and tossed it out toward Rhea, who blew a bit of flame at it. Alec watched as the note caught fire, sparking blue briefly before turning red, and then shooting off through the sky.

“Right!” Magnus said, clapping his hands together. He spun back toward Alec and flashed him a bright grin while he snapped his fingers and called up an entire notebook this time instead of just a piece of paper. He also got a pen for himself – no, not a pen, a _quill_. One that was decorated with a faint hint of glitter that sparkled against the blackness of it. “So, let's iron out some details. How many people would you say you have?”

Normally, that wasn't a question Alec would answer to just anyone. But Magnus' reasons for asking it were honest, and as he and Kyra had decided earlier, they trusted him. He just hoped Magnus proved worth of that trust.

“Well, it changes at any given time. We mostly stay split between two bases....”


	2. Chapter 2

It took a few hours for Magnus and Alec to iron out all the necessary details between them. At one point, Catarina and Jace came over to join them – Catarina was bearing food and medicine, and Jace was there to check in on his family and to make sure Alec ate what the doctor brought him.

“Your body needs nutrients to heal,” Catarina told Alec as she set the tray down in front of him. The look on her face made it clear she was more than willing to stand overtop him and make damn sure that he ate every last crumb. The way that Jace stood behind her, arms over his chest and his expression deliberately blank, he would happily help her if it came down to it. They were going to make sure Alec ate whether he liked it or not.

Whatever look ended up on Alec's face had Magnus laughing. When Alec glared even more, Magnus winked at him. Then he turned his grin to Catarina and snapped up a chair for her right beside him, as well as one by Alec for Jace. “Have a seat, my dear. You're just in time. I was about to summon you over here anyway.”

For a moment, Alec ignored things as Magnus started to catch Jace and Catarina up on the plan they'd come up with, and the reasons behind it. He chose instead to focus back on Kyra, turning around enough that he could smile at her. _Why don’t you ask Rhea about where to get something to eat? I’ve got Jace here with me, he’ll make sure I’m safe and fed while you’re gone._

Kyra’s eyes narrowed, and her mind voice turned just a bit clipped. **_I’m sure she’s got other things to do than show me around the place_**.

Alec caught the faint edge of embarrassment to Kyra's words underneath her attempt at being offended. His lips twitched a little in response. Then, because Kyra and Jace weren't the only ones who could be little shits sometimes, Alec turned around and looked over to the others, interrupting them to ask “I'm sorry, but is there any chance someone might be able to show Kyra where she can hunt for something to eat? It's been a while since her last meal.”

Kyra made a small, distressed hiss in their bond that had Alec fighting back a grin. At the same time, Magnus turned toward Rhea, who didn’t hesitate to smile and push herself up to her feet. “It would be my absolute _pleasure_ ,” Rhea said in that deep rumble of hers that made the words sound kind of like she wanted to eat Kyra alive – in what context was up for grabs. Though the smile she flashed Kyra’s way was beautifully bright. “Come on, little nightflower. I'll show you were some of us like to go hunt.”

A shiver of something warm went through Kyra at the nickname Rhea had used. But even with that, and her clear pleasure at the idea of going out with the older dragon to hunt, Kyra still took a moment to push her head toward the entrance of the gazebo. Alec turned in his chair as best he could so that he could reach out and stroke over her snout. _Go ahead. I’ll be fine here._

**_I don’t like letting you out of my sight._ **

_I won’t leave here without letting you know first. Go, Kyra. Eat._

The two shared one last, wordless burst of love, and then Kyra was heading off after Rhea, the two of them taking to the sky together. Alec had to fight back the urge to rise up and try to go after her, even just to watch her leave. They rarely ever spent time apart. Even when Kyra hunted, Alec was usually with her, or at least very close by. They didn't do well away from one another. Recent events had only made that feeling worse.

Having Jace there with him helped, though. When Alec turned back toward the table, his brother was seated beside him, an easy smile on his lips and a few stolen fries from Alec's plate in his mouth.

“You do realize that's _my_ lunch, right?” Alec asked him, voice dry.

Jace grind around the fries in his mouth. “Technically, I think you'd call it brunch. We're barely past morning. It's not even eleven yet.”

That was – huh. Alec _hadn’t_ realized that. His sense of time had been a bit screwed up lately.

Catarina cut into their conversation, her words just a little bit sharp. Almost as sharp as the glare she sent Jace's way. “ _You’ve_ already eaten, and your brother needs all the nutrients he can get to heal.”

A smug grin curled the corners of Alec's mouth. He reached out and picked up one of the fries off his plate, not quite ready to try something as ambitious as the large burger that was there, no matter how good it looked. He'd have to test his stomach on the fries, first, and maybe tease his best friend a bit while he was at it. “Yeah, Jace. I'm _recovering_. So leave my food alone.”

“Oh, Raziel, you're gonna milk this, aren't you?” Jace demanded. He rolled his eyes, but Alec didn't miss the faint twitch to his lips.

In response, Alec let his own grin grow shamelessly. “Would I do that?”

To the surprise of the two watching, Jace snorted – loudly – and shook his head. “No, not usually, but I'll take it. If you're gonna play the recovery card to keep me off your food, it just means you can't deny it later on when I stick your ass in a bed.”

“Show's what _you_ know.”

Laughter bubbled up from the others at the table. When the two darted a look over, they found Magnus and Catarina grinning at them.

Reminded of their audience, and the reasons why they were sitting here to begin with, quickly sobered Alec up. His smile fell away, and he turned his focus fully back to the table. “I'm sorry, where were we?”

“I actually think we've got enough to be going on right now,” Magnus said. He gathered up his notebook and flipped it shut, the quill disappearing in a wave of his hand and a few blue sparks. Then he folded his hands down on top of the notebook. “I'll get together everything we talked about and make sure we're ready for your team's arrival. It should only take us a couple days to do it.”

Best as Alec could figure, it would take almost a week for his team to show up. Faster, if Isabelle wanted to push it. Which, knowing her, she would. Especially if she knew anything about Alec's capture. Something that was honestly hit or miss. Alec could see Jace not wanting to tell her. No one wanted to tell Isabelle when things went wrong. She could be a little scary when it came to her family’s safety.

“Now that you’ve had something to eat and business is taken care of, you should rest,” Catarina suggested. Well, she probably meant it to sound like a suggestion, but the look on her face made it clear she wasn’t above bodily hauling Alec off and putting him to bed.

In the interest of _not_ causing a fight – and not at all because he was exhausted, no, that had nothing to do with it – Alec let himself get hustled up from his seat and off toward the direction of what Magnus just called _the Caves._

The walk was a little easier this time around with Jace there beside him, refusing to let Alec get away with not leaning on him, though it was a bit more uncomfortable in other ways. People were out and about now, either on the grass, by the water, or in the air. Countless dragons and humans that Alec didn’t know. Most of whom were watching them with the kind of hesitance Alec was far too used to seeing. It had him straightening his spine a little more despite how it hurt to do it.

“Yeah, that’s gonna get real old, real fast,” Jace mumbled.

He probably hadn’t meant for the others to hear it. Yet Magnus turned to them and offered Alec an apologetic smile. “They’ll relax the longer you’re here. At the moment you’re an unknown, that’s all.”

They both knew that wasn’t true. But Alec nodded anyway and let him pretend it was.

People gave them a wide berth as the group made their way over towards the caves. Alec was beginning to regret not waiting around for Kyra to come back so he could just ride over there. He just wanted to get out from under the public eye and rest, even for a little bit. Just a few moments without everyone watching him.

They were most of the way there when a loud cry of “Alec!” suddenly tore through the air. Their little procession stopped, and everyone turned at the same time to look toward the voice, even the silent onlookers. As soon as Alec saw who it was racing toward him, his eyebrows shot up and his mouth dropped open a little in surprise, yet he immediately braced one hand on Jace. He extended his other arm in just enough time to catch up the girl that came crashing into him.

Pain exploded in every inch of Alec's body. He bit back the cry that wanted to tear free and made sure that his touch was gentle when he curled his arm around Madzie’s body.

Jace ducked out from Alec's side just enough that he could move behind him, bracing Alec's back against his chest and shoulder, his hands going to hold Alec's hips in place. It freed up both of Alec's hands so that he could draw Madzie into a real hug.

With one hand Alec stroked back a bit of dark hair that had escaped Madzie’s braids. When she looked up, smiling so brightly at him, Alec couldn’t help but smile back at her. “Hey there, little fish. I didn’t know you were here!”

The little girl’s face crumpled into something that broke Alec's heart. He knew, before she could even begin to tell him, just how her story was going to go. Unfortunately, it was a story he’d heard many times in the past.

“Hunters found us,” Madzie whispered. She pressed a hand to the front of her shirt where a small lump told Alec that Ttu was hiding curled up around her waist as he liked to do. “Ttu and I hid, just like you and Mama taught us, but…”

She trailed off, and Alec _ached_. “I’m so sorry, Madz.”

With a gentle touch, he pulled the small girl in against him and wrapped both his arms around her. It wasn’t much, he knew, and too little too late, but it was all he could offer her.

Eventually, the two pulled apart, and Alec used the edge of the wrap around his hand to gently wipe away the few tears that had escaped.

Madzie seemed to take notice of his bandages for the first time. Her eyes went wide and her mouth open in a little ‘o’. “You’re _hurt_!”

“I’m okay,” Alec said gently. He carefully turned his hand enough that he could use one of his uninjured fingers to tilt her chin up a little, making sure that she looked at his face and not the rest of him. “The nice doctor here is taking care of me, don’t worry.” Tilting his head, he winked down at Madzie and deliberately lowered his voice to a stage whisper. “Besides, if it was _really_ bad, do you think Kyra would let me out of her sight?” He added on an eyeroll to that that made Madzie laugh.

**_Don’t think I won’t bite you when I get back, Alexander Gideon Lightwood._ **

Hearing Kyra’s mind voice had Alec grinning, which only made Madzie laugh even more. She and Kyra had gotten on amazingly when they’d last seen the little girl. Alec had been a bit hurt then, too, though not too bad. Just a cut on his arm that Kyra had fussed dramatically over, much to Madzie’s clear delight.

 ** _It wasn’t dramatic_**! Kyra’s voice was full of an offense that had Alec trying not to snicker. **_You were bleeding like a stuck pig, you ungrateful little brat. What – next time you want me to just leave you to bleed out all over the floor?_**

_As if you would._

Alec gently stroked over Madzie’s cheek and then lowered his hand down. “Now, shouldn’t you be off eating lunch or something, little fish?” At the protest he could already see building in her eyes, he quickly added on “You can come find me later if you want. Kyra and I are going to stick around for a few days.”

That promise was all it took to have Madzie lighting up again. She gave Alec one more quick hug and then took off, presumably to go and find her lunch. Alec let himself slump a little against Jace for just a moment. Just long enough to catch his breath. Jace, bless him, didn’t even try and move. He just stayed where he was, hands gentle yet firm on Alec's hips, and held him up without protest.

When Alec finally straightened up on his own again, he and Jace resuming their previous hold with him under Alec's arm and an arm around Alec's waist, the two found Catarina and Magnus both watching them with curious looks. “I see you’ve met our newest houseguest before,” Magnus said.

Alec shrugged. There was no point in denying it, nor in hiding it. “I met Madzie almost a year ago when Hunters attacked their town. I got some of them out of there, but her family didn’t want help. They said they had somewhere safe to go already, and they didn’t want to live with their daughter on the run.” He looked off in the direction Madzie had just run, and his heart went out to the little girl who clearly hadn’t been as safe as her parents had hoped.

It was sadly a story that was all too often heard. As much as most communities tried to protect their Pairs, they weren’t as hard to hunt down as they liked to think they were. Bigger cities weren’t always open and accommodating to dragons. Some were, and Alec knew laws were being pushed through in others, but for the most part dragons and their riders had been pushed to live on the outskirts of towns, off in the countryside. It was better for the dragons than being inside a city, sure, but if they became a part of a community it could put them at greater risk. Hunters had gone to almost every small town out there to try and _root them out._

It’s what made places like this so important. Here, kids like Madzie were free to run and laugh and smile with their dragon frolicking around them, without any kind of fear that someone might hurt them for it. That the wrong person might see and report them.

That kind of happiness was what Alec had fought to protect. It was what he’d gone up against Valentine, and all the other Hunters out there. It was why he’d worked so hard to take down the inner Circle. And it was why he would bust his ass to take down Jonathan, too, if rumors about him proved to be true.

Because this was worth protecting. The people here, the dragons, the children and hatchlings, _they_ were worth protecting.

No matter what the cost.


End file.
